The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1887-05-15
ANCIENT ORDER F0RESTERS
HOW 1T Is CONSTITUTED AND GOV
ERNED, And I7S BENEFITS.


Old.
A few years ago the society of the Ancient
Order of Foresters was comparatively IN
known in this country. Fifteen or twenty
years ago this city did not contain one
branch of the order and New York city but
one or two, and so little was known of
these that a member coming from England
who desired to join court in this country
was conn elled to make q very effective
search to discover one. At the present
time the order is perhaps the foremost
benevolent society III this country. Its
branches are spread over the entire coun-
Try, and ere 81 ringing up day after day,
and the number of persons who partake of
the benefits and advantages which member
ship secures them reaches into many thou
sand.
The society is cooperative one. and in
the federation Of its members lies its great
advantage and success. Its aims and OBJ
jects are praiseworthy, and in their accom-
plishment the great power of the co-opera-
llOu vi d Duu4DtT Ol pSIbOuS LUf Tue dlQ Ol
each other is clearly illustrated. The pur-
pose of the society is to aid in alternating
lifes sorrows by providing for its members
in cases of sickness and death, and other
wise rendering mutual assistance to each
other. as well as the formation Of friend
ships, which alone attracts many to the
ranks Of the society.
The society dates back to the early part
of the year 100. II is an institution of
England, where cooperative societies are
SO strong and numerous. The highest
authority of the association, known as the
High Court, sits in England; and nothing
can be done by any branch in this or any
other country that will conflict with the
regulations, or that is not sanctioned by
the High Court. Each branch or Court.
however, makes its own bylaws and rules
for the guidance of its own members.
within the limits defined by the High
Court. There is in this country also a
high court, known as the Subsidiary High
Court, which is given discretion to make
such regulations as 1t deems fit for the
proper guidance of the different branches
IL the United States, but it cannot do any
thing to conflict with the authority of the
High Court in England
The society has three degrees, the high
est being the Knights of Sherwood Forest,
the next the Ancient Order of Shepherds.
and the third the Ancient Order of Forest
ers. They all belong to the Foresters
society, but each has separate rules and
passwords. Any member of the Ancient
Order of Fore sters may become a member
of the higher degrees if he be member of
his order in good standing and is accepted
by the members Of the order which he de-
- ,tor No rdvT
the higher orders is in the additional bene-
fit that would be received in cases of sick
ness or death. The Knights of Sherwood
Forest is the only uniformed degree of the
society, and the fact that the uniforms are
expensive deters many who would like to
be members Of it from doing SO.
TIE benefits received by members of the
society are as follows In case of sickness
they receive the sum Of six dollars Der
week, besides proper medicine and the
services of the physician Of the court OF
which they are members. sick commit
tee visits every sick member at FREQUENT
intervals, and the committee are supposed
to do all in their power to soothe the affiic-
tions of the sick member and also to do all
in their power to encourage his family. In
case of the death of a member a certain
sum is paid to defray the funeral expenses.
There is also an insurance fund connected
with the society, of which the members
can avail themselves. Insurance to the
amount of 50, 900 may be obtained upon the
payment of specified premium, to which
must be added an assessment upon the
death of each member of the fund.
The recognized officers in the Ancient
Order of Foresters are: Chief Ranger, who
"a a chairman or president; ub.chief
Ranger, "a vice-president; Woodwards, a sick
committee, inside and outside guards, who
receive the password and allow the mem
bers to enter. The highest Office is Past
Chief Ranger. who must have acted as Chief
hanger for at least one year. His duties
are in connection with the execution of the
forms necessary to initiae member into
the order The Ancient Order of Shep-
herds have pastor, the president or char
maR; sub-pastor, the vice-presldent; and
past pastor.
In the second week of June convention
of the Subsidiary High Court will be held
in Chicago and measures adopted for the
further good of the society 1t will be an
important convention, and many unsettled
questions will be determined. 1t is be-
lleved that the question of admitting col
ored people to membership will be dis
cussed and settled.
The following are the Courts of the
society in this county: Court Bergen,
1892; Court Damon, 1921; Court Hudson,
500; Court Jersey City, 1929; Court Little
john, 5000; Court Pavonia, $500; Court
Stevens, lib; Court Emmett, Court Hobo
ken, Ever Faithful, 5000, Of the Shepherds;
and Enterprise SO, of the Knights of Sher-
wood. Court Littleiohn was the first one
established in this county,
SPORTING NOTES.